DECOLONISE DRESS CODES! - LUMUMBA

The Kaunda suit has become a favourite attire for African celebrities, elders and politicians recently, including Kenya’s president, William Ruto.

A single-breasted safari jacket with short or long sleeves and patch pockets — often worn with matching pants — it was initially made popular by Kenneth Kaunda, the first post-colonial president of Zambia.

But the Kaunda suit - among other African clothing- was banned from the Kenyan Parliament by the speaker, who decreed that such attire violates the parliamentary dress code — which conforms to official colonial wardrobes.

Pan-African scholar PLO Lumumba says that Africans in general need to decolonise their dress codes. He argues that all that matters is smartness, and that African attire, such as traditional Nigerian robes, fit the bill pretty well.

Is it time for Africans to abandon colonial attire in official settings? Let us know what you think.